06 LC 33
1187-EC
Senate
Bill 468
By:
Senators Moody of the 56th, Carter of the 13th, Douglas of the 17th, Grant of
the 25th, Bulloch of the 11th and others
AS
PASSED
AN
ACT
To
amend Subpart 2 of Part 6 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official
Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to conditions of employment under the
"Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide for the establishment of a grant
program for High Performance Principals to attract successful principals to
schools in need of improvement; to provide for legislative findings; to provide
for a definition; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for one-year
salary supplements; to provide for reports; to provide for construction; to
provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Subpart
2 of Part 6 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to conditions of employment under the "Quality Basic
Education Act," is amended by inserting a new Code section after Code Section
20-2-214, relating to salary schedule and supplements for principals, to be
designated Code Section 20-2-214.1 to read as follows:
"20-2-214.1.
(a)
The General Assembly finds that the driving force behind attracting quality
teachers to a school and creating a culture of learning and respect in the
school environment is the school leadership, and particularly, the school
principal. The General Assembly further finds that teachers consider school
leadership as one of the most important factors in creating good working
conditions in a school environment. The General Assembly further finds that a
school with strong leadership and teachers will be the most effective in
improving and maintaining the academic success of its students.
(b)
For purposes of this Code section, the term 'Needs Improvement School' means a
school that has not made adequate yearly progress for two or more consecutive
years in the same subject, in accordance with the accountability system
established pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 14 of this title.
(c)
The State Board of Education is authorized to establish a grant program to
attract proven leaders in school settings to accept positions as principals in
secondary schools in this state that have been identified as a Needs Improvement
School by the State Board of Education, as defined in state board rules relating
to the accountability system. For purposes of this Code section, these
individuals shall be known as High Performance Principals. The grant program
shall include funding, subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, for
grants from the state board to local boards of education for salary supplements
for High Performance Principals.
(d)
The state board is authorized to develop rules and regulations to implement the
grant program, including requiring reports, data, or other measures of
accountability. The grant program shall provide that the sole criteria for
designating and selecting individuals as High Performance Principals shall be
data based evidence of the effectiveness of a proposed High Performance
Principal in improving a low performing school or in taking an average or
excellent performing school to higher achievement within the last five years.
Notwithstanding this, the state board shall have the discretion, only in
extenuating circumstances, to consider other criteria. The state board shall be
authorized to establish and maintain a nonexclusive pool of preapproved eligible
candidates for High Performance Principals for consideration by local school
systems.
(e)
An individual selected as a High Performance Principal shall be eligible for a
one-year salary supplement, in an amount as determined by the state board and
subject to appropriations by the General Assembly. An individual grant shall
not exceed $15,000.00 per year and such amount shall be awarded pursuant to
state board rule based on the relative recruitment need of that Needs
Improvement School. The local school system may apply for up to two additional
school years for renewal of the High Performance Principal designation for an
individual, subject to appropriation. An individual selected as a High
Performance Principal shall be required to enter into a contract with the local
board, in accordance with Code Section 20-2-211, which shall include terms and
conditions relating to the designation of High Performance Principal, as
required by the state board. An individual shall be required to reimburse the
local board for any moneys paid to him or her relating to the High Performance
Principal designation if he or she does not comply with the terms of the
contract relating to the High Performance Principal designation.
(f)
The local board shall be required to submit reports, as required by the state
board, which quantify the effectiveness of an individual designated as a High
Performance Principal and his or her impact on the improvement of the school in
the school year in which he or she was designated a High Performance Principal.
The state board shall use the data in the reports as the primary factor in
evaluating applications for renewal of a High Performance Principal designation,
as provided for in subsection (e) of this Code section.
(g)
Salary supplements received by a High Performance Principal pursuant to this
Code section shall not be considered regular or earnable compensation for any
purpose.
(h)
Nothing in this Code section shall prohibit local boards of education from
providing additional salary supplements and bonuses to any principal designated
as a High Performance
Principal."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.